Facebook, Rotten Tomatoes make users movie critics

LOS ANGELES | By Zorianna Kit

The Facebook logo is displayed on a computer screen in Brussels April 21, 2010. Rotten Tomatoes, the film website known for aggregating movie reviews, is partnering with Facebook to give its readers the opportunity to recommend films to their other Facebook friends.

Reuters/Thierry Roge/Files

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Attention Facebook users: you can now be your own movie critic.

Rotten Tomatoes, the film website known for aggregating movie reviews, is partnering with Facebook to give its readers the opportunity to recommend films to their other Facebook friends.

"People have always found movies through recommendations from friends," said Carl Sjogreen, who leads Facebook Platform products. "Rotten Tomatoes is bringing this experience online and giving people the best of both worlds -- friends and critics."

Joe Greenstein, CEO and co-founder of Rotten Tomatoes' parent company Flixster Inc., called the new social features "'word-of-mouth' on steroids."

That's because those visiting the Rotten Tomatoes website who happen to be logged in to Facebook will instantly be able to see ratings and reviews from their Facebook friends.

This new partnership is the biggest change to Rotten Tomatoes since the site debuted in 1998 and reflects the growing influence of word of mouth and buzz over professional critics in the success or failure of new movies.

More than 30 million people each month visit Flixster and Rotten Tomatoes online and on their mobile devices.

Other features include an "Audience Score" that aggregates ratings and reviews contributed by Flixster users. That score will be posted next to the Rotten Tomatoes famed Tomatometer critics score.

"Our users tell us that critics' reviews are important - but they're just one tool they use when considering a movie," said Greenstein.

"Through our partnership with Facebook, we'll help users sift through all of those ratings and instantly find the ones from people who matter most to them," he said.

The newly-enhanced website can be found at www.rottentomatoes.com

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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